The Lone Rose
by OnceadiaryintheTARDIS
Summary: AU/Reunion Fic Set before The End of Time: Rose Tyler has made her way across the void, and has almost given up search for the Doctor. When her doorbell rings one morning...She's in for a surprise
1. Chapter 1

Rose as awakened by her alarm clock. _Blasted alarm. I was having a good dream too._ She thought to herself. Except the dream she'd been having…She'd had every day for the past three months. She'd used the Dimension Cannon, thankfully finished by her parallel universe father and the Torchwood team to return home where she belonged. To try and find the Doctor. The dream varied each time, but the general idea was the same. Rose had found her Doctor again…and he'd finally said those three words she'd been waiting to hear: _I love you_. She knew in his own little way, the Doctor had already told her. However, she just wanted to hear him say, "_Rose Tyler, I love_ you" Was that too much to ask? She sighed when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Just a minute!" She called before walking to the door. Her face grew from a slightly sleepy look, to a look of pure joy and shock at the sight that stood before her.

The Doctor was unsure how she had managed it, unsure how Torchwood had managed the technology without ripping through the fabric of time, to allow Rose to pass through the worlds and come back to the original earth in which she called home. Although he was unsure of what technology that Torchwood had in the parallel universe, once he saw Rose again he didn't bother to ask. He was happy to see Rose, alive, and in an universe in which he could see her whenever he wanted. Finding her again was easy, the TARDIS seemed to almost track her down also.

The TARDIS had picked up her energy, sourcing it from the Doctors most hopes and dreams that she would return one day, and she did. And now? Now he could tell her how he felt. But something was stopping him, she knew that the Doctor loved her but in his own way, a way that meant he didn't have to say it.

Landing on Earth with a small thud of the TARDIS yet again, he landed around the corner from the flat in which Rose was residing. He pulled on his trench coat and walked over to the flat and pressed the door bell, thinking he had to control his rudeness and not just walk on in. When she opened the door, he greeted her with a large grin and a slight wave, "Hello!"

Rose just stood there. She had considered the thought of pinching herself. This felt like one of her dreams hanging around her still. Blimey, this must be how Mrs. Darling felt in Peter Pan. Rose thought to herself. She then shook her head. How did the Doctor know she'd be there? Back at her flat? Rose then gave herself a light laugh. "Your the Doctor. 'Course you found me." Rose mumbled to herself. There, in front of her was her Doctor. Huge grin and old. Boy, he hadn't changed a bit. She'd been away from him in that parallel world for a good two almost three years. She knew he'd always find her though. That was the good thing about her and the Doctor. They'd always find each other. Nothing could separate them. Not even a wall, nor Dalek, nor cybermen. Or any other alien that came at them

Rose tried to fight the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes. They weren't tears of sadness. Instead, unlike all the other times she'd cried in front of him...They were tears of joy. Rose slowly looked up at the Doctor before walking up to him and flung her arms around him. "Hello..." She breathed and hid her head into his shoulder. Slowly letting the joyful tears fall from her eyes.

The Doctor smiled down at Rose, watching the tears leave her eyes and fall down her face. he smiled softly at her. Here she was his Rose. His true companion that he had to leave behind, but here she was no. No danger, no nothing. Just her and just him. Before he could say anything he felt Rose throw herself on him and her arms wrap around his neck. He grinned to himself, happy to have her back in his arms and he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist pulling her up a little from the ground and holding onto her tightly.

"Rose Tyler-" He spoke softly resting his chin on her shoulder and inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes. He had her back and he was not going to let go. Not again. He had imagined this day over and over again, but he never thought it to be real. Yet here she was. "Did you miss me?" He joked, laughing as he continued to swing Rose a round a little in his arms.

Rose gave a light laugh as he picked her up. This hug was better than her dreams had ever been. Much better. As she thought of any hug to compare it to...there as none. Not even there hug after his regeneration scare. This one was better...Much better. Because Rose swore to herself she's never let him leave her this time. Nothing could ever separate them.

Rose pulled back with a chuckle hearing his question. Of course she missed him. She playfully smacked his arm. "Your kiddin right?" Rose laughed. " 'course I missed you Doctor. Been dreaming about this day for three months." Rose smiled. "I can't believe your really here..." She said wiping the tears from her eyes.

The Doctor laughed as she smacked his arm and he rubbed it pretending it had hurt and then he grinned down at her and nodded when she spoke about missing him and he couldn't resist but mutter, "Quite right too," He smiled down at her, but it hit him in the chest slightly, saying those words. The last words that he had thought he would ever say to Rose, how he believed he had finally said goodbye to her, leaving her there on the beach.

Shaking his head, wanting to forget the pain, the sadness of believing that he would never have his Rose again and he would be alone forever. "I missed you too-" The Doctor grinned down at her and he took hold of her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers and he shrugged a little, "I am known for doing impossible things," The Doctor toyed with her laughing. Rose laughed at him and a small smile formed on her face. She'd heard the 'Quite Right too...' She knew that...even though he never got to say it...In his own, Doctor like way...That was his way of telling her he loved her. Maybe he'd loved her all along. Rose smiled as he mentioned impossible things.

"Yes you are.." she whispered. Rose then placed her hand that wasn't interlocked with the Doctor's on one of his hearts.

"I wanted to ask you something...When did you first know you loved me?" She whispered quietly, many memories came through her head of all the possibilities. Rose knew when she fell for him. The day he sent her and the TARDIS back and she risked her life to save his. After looking into the heart of the TARDIS, and destroyed the Daleks. She wanted him safe. Her Doctor.


	2. Chapter 2

Smiling down at Rose, he couldn't help but take in every feature about her, her eyes, her lips.. everything. Because he had memorized everything about her before he left but the memories had began to fade, leaving only a hole in his mind and his hearts. But now, now he was able to see her in the flesh and relive all his memories with her. When she spoke about when did he know he loved her, he couldn't help but laugh to himself a little, and he shook his head, "Rose Tyler.." He spoke, not surprised that she had asked he knew it was only a matter of time, but laughed because it was so Rose to be so demanding and stubborn and no fear in asking questions either. ".. From the moment I met you," The Doctor smiled down at her as he continued on with his sentence, "You were always so different, and I loved that. And when we were on the ship with the Ood, and I thought I would never see you again. That's when I really knew and admitted it to myself. Because I always believed in you Rose Tyler. Always."

Rose felt a small smile form on her lips as he whispered her name. Her heart skipped a beat just slightly. She never knew why, but she always loved it when he said her name. It was so soft, in a caring way. Just as the Doctor always was. Caring, loving, a strong man, a defender of the stars. She was defender of the Earth. He'd given her that title months ago. Rose nodded, remembering that first day they met. When he saved her from the living plastic. When she was trapped down in that cellar, surrounded and backed up against that wall. She'd had her eyes shut, ready for them to attack her. When she felt a comforting hand grab hers, and told her to run. Plus, not only did he save her life, but she saved his...Swinging on that chain knocking the Plastic into that goopy alien thing

Another warm smile grew on Rose's face when he mentioned being on the spaceship with the Ood. That was a pretty scary trip. One of their scariest trips in Rose's mind. She remembered kissing his helmet. Telling him to be safe, and that she'd be waiting for him to come back. Once she'd heard no response from him on the radio, Rose had gotten worried he'd never come back either.

"I was scared too. The Ood were going mad. I just wanted you to be there to help us, so instead I told them whatever I thought you'd do. Once we were on that escape pod...I just did whatever you would have done. You have no idea how relieved I was when I heard your voice. What happened down there anyway? What did you see? Down in that pit. You barely told me anything."

Rose waited to tell him when she knew she loved him. There would be plenty of time for that.

The Doctor watched her carefully and he looked up slightly into the sky when she spoke about the Ood and down in the pits, and how she took control. The Doctor had never told her but he was so proud of her, so proud of his Rose Tyler being able to take command and lead those people to safety. Although they lost a few members of the ship of the way, they both tried their best, and Rose well she was the hero not him.

"Down in the pit?" The Doctor repeated rubbing the back of his head as he thought about it and he still wasn't sure, was it the devil? Satan? The real deal? "I am really not sure. Evil." He knew that for sure, that whatever it was meant no good in the world and wanted to destroy everything it touched.

He looked to Rose again with a soft smile and he tilted his head a little, "You did so well, when we were on that ship. I was so proud of you. I thought I would never see you again, and what would happen? I promised your mum that I would always bring you back safe, and I thought I was going to fail. I had sentenced you to death, but you Rose, you took control. You saved the day." He grinned at her with a slight laugh and then looked back up to the skies, as if the ship was still in the them and he continued to smile to himself.

"Have you always loved me?" The Doctor asked still looking up to the sky and then he looked back to Rose, his eyes now filled with sadness and his smile wavering a little.

Rose walked over and placed her hand on his cheek. She saw the deep sadness in his eyes. She'd seen this look a few times before. Madame de Pompadour, when he sent her to the parallel world before she came back herself. Those were the only two times she could recall anyway. When he asked her if she always loved him she nodded.

"Yes..." Rose replied then decided to clarify when she knew she loved him. "You know whrn I truly realized I loved you?" She whispered. "back on Satellite 5. When you sent me back in the TARDIS. When I came back and looked into the heart of the TARDIS. I couldn't let you be alone. Not die on your own...I couldn't give up. I couldn't go back to my old life. I loved traveling with you and I can't imagine myself being with anyone else."

As soon as Rose finished her sentence, she sighed to herself, and pulled then Doctor into a soft kiss. Something she'd been wanting to do for the longest time. The Doctor leaned into her hand when she placed it on his cheek and he looked into her eyes. A sad soft smile played on his lips as he listened too her, listened to how she feel in love him. He remember the day as if it were only yesterday the memory burning so bright in his mind, reminding him that this woman was the only woman he would ever need in his life.

"I wanted you to stay with me forever.." The Doctor whispered still leaning into her hand.

He continued to smile to himself when she spoke about how she loved him, and how when she looked into the TARDIS she saw everything, how lonely the Doctor was. The lonely traveller, and how she stayed with him, blessing him with such a gift. He smiled at her as she spoke and smiled because of the memories that filled his head. Before he could respond however he felt her lips upon his. His eyes widened a little, but then he felt the softness of her kiss and he slowly closed his eyes and pressed his lips gently back against hers.

He had kissed back, something Rose didn't expect at first, she pulled herself closer to him for a brief second. before pulling back and whispering just loud enough so he could hear. He asked her to stay with him forever. She then remembered a promise she made.

_"How long you gonna stay with me?" The Doctor asked her as they looked over the scene before them. Rose looked over at him with a smile on her face, hands in her jacket pocket. She'd been traveling with him for about two years, seen so mant things. They'd gotten out of nasty situations together. He'd save her as best he could. Trying to keep her save. So, knowing that she would be able to live the rest of her human life with him...she only answered with one simple word._

"Forever."


End file.
